A slew of speed-limiting related requests has triggered council to consider lowering the speed limit to 40km/h on Midland streets.
The latest request that brought the issue to the fore came from Midland Point resident Karli Dupuis.
"The speed of traffic on our road has been a common discussion in our neighbourhood," she said during her deputation to councillors at their Wednesday meeting. "We're an active community that spends a lot of time walking, biking, and accessing the trails that are connected to our road.
"We're requesting to have the Midland Point Road speed limit reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h between Fuller Avenue up to and including 764 Midland Point Rd. We feel this is the most effective solution to reducing the speed on our road."
All of council was in support of investigating the issue on a larger scale under the forthcoming town-wide, traffic-calming study. Some wanted to involve the OPP in the meantime to seek some immediate remedies.
"This problem isn't unique to Midland Point Road and it just seems to be growing," said Coun. Jim Downer. "Does the OPP still have a traffic control unit? Why aren't we involving these people and enforcing it? I'm hearing complaints from other roads of the town and it doesn't seem to be getting any better, so maybe we need to lean on our police services here to do some enforcement."
Mayor Stewart Strathearn, who is on the Midland Police Services board, answered that question.
"Yes, there's a motor-vehicle group and yes, they're running speed traps, and yes they're getting convictions and writing tickets and citation," he said. "One of the things I do notice is that when they set a trap up, it's not long before the drivers are flashing their lights and you might as well pick up your car and move because the effectiveness isn't there anymore."
Strathearn said he uses Midland Point Road when he's driving home.
"What I encounter are two things in particular," he said. "It's a subdivision built under Tay Township guidelines and there are open ditches there that limit the provision of sidewalks. If we put in sidewalks, it goes on people's lawns. That creates a problem for pedestrians. I also see pedestrians creating a problem, in that, they won't move over. And you get some rather rude gestures. It's a bit of a two-way street here.
"One thing I do know is that there are some people who are consistently speeding there," Strathearn added. "It would be nice if someone could get the licence plates on those and give them to the OPP."
Coun. Bill Gordon also had some ideas.
"I'm inclined to support a reduction to 40km/h all throughout the town," he said. "It does send the message that it's going to cost them more if they get a speeding ticket."
Then he talked about the town possibly acquiring a mobile photo radar, which Strathearn said would cost about $300,000.
"I know that's a spend," he said. "We may be able to get some grant money for that, maybe. At least looking and seeing what it costs. Maybe we could go in on it with our neighbours."
Gordon then talked about the speed trailer the town already owns.
"I know I sound like a broken record, but plow a little spot in the snow and deploy that speed trailer," he said. "It'll count the cars and measure the speed and give Mr. (Andy) Campbell some evidence in the recommendations."
Staff will come back with suggestions around speed limit reductions at a future meeting after the traffic-calming study.
In her letter to council, Dupuis writes that the most recent records and study show that the annual average daily traffic on Midland Point Road is between 800 - 1,200 vehicles per day. The closer to Fuller Avenue the higher the numbers are. The letter does not specify who conducted the study or when it was conducted.
"Through the summer months the numbers would be higher with cottagers," Dupuis goes on in her letter. "According to Simcoe County GIS Mapping, there are approximately 37 residents on Midland Point Road between Fuller Avenue and up to and including 764 Midland Point Road. Traffic on this section of road include local residents as well as all residents on Midland Point, delivery trucks, service vehicles and casual drivers."
In her presentation, she added some feedback she has received from residents in the neighbourhood.
"I've heard stories of elderly residents driving to visit their direct neighbours across the road in fear of not being able to cross the road on foot safely," said Dupuis. "Some residents up on the corner on Midland Point Road shovel paths between their houses so that they don't have to navigate the roadway on foot, in fear of it not being safe."
The neighbourhood has changed, she said.
"There are younger families with children in the neighbourhood," Dupuis said. "They're playing, walking, and accessing the school bus stops. I have a family with two young boys. We go out walking on a daily basis. Trying to navigate a stroller on the road is a challenge at best. I want this wonderful community we're proud to be a part of to feel safer for both myself and my boys."
At the end, Dupuis admitted that reducing the speed limit may not fully solve the problem.
She added: "The consensus is that the speed limit is reduced by 10km/h, hopefully, the honest drivers will follow this and those speeding will reduce their speed."
